The leaders of the nation’s leading civil rights and racial justice organizations today issued a statement calling on the members of the U.S. Senate to condemn Sen. Tom Cotton’s remarks on slavery and issue a formal censure. These leaders and their organizations are:
Ford Motor Co. and its philanthropic arm, Ford Motor Company Fund, are joining with the National Urban League to provide $600,000 in grants to Black business owners negatively afflicted by COVID-19. The Emergency Capital Access Program (ECAP) will provide small grants, combined with technical assistance and advisory services, to Black business owners through National Urban League affiliates in Los Angeles, Detroit, New Orleans, Atlanta, Chicago and New York.
Each city will receive $100,000, enabling National Urban League affiliates to provide crucial economic support to businesses providing a stabilizing influence for communities hard hit by the pandemic.
Arva Rice, President and CEO of the New York Urban League (New York, NY) said, “With this extraordinarily generous grant, we will be able to serve even more people as the pandemic continues to disproportionately impact Black and Brown communities and business owners.
The National Urban League Washington Bureau is pleased to announce applications are now open for the National Urban League Congressional Advocacy Program Fall 2020 Cohort! This intensive six-month advocacy certification is open to current/ active National Urban League Young Professional, National Council of Urban League Guild, and Urban League affiliate staff members who have a serious interest in expanding their knowledge of congressional and grassroots advocacy and its application within the Urban League movement and beyond.
For more information, please contact Toni Wiley, NUL Director of Advocacy at awiley@nul.org
Application deadline: Sunday, September 6, 2020
The Urban League of Greater Southwestern Ohio (Cincinnati, OH) has chosen a leader for its new Center for Social Justice.
Rickell Howard Smith was named executive director of the center, which was launched in June to focus on police reform in the municipalities and suburbs of Cincinnati and Dayton. Howard Smith comes to the role with 15 years of experience in law, policy, and nonprofit leadership. Most recently, she was the senior director of Community Strategies at the Greater Cincinnati Foundation.
The countdown is on. July 26 marks 100 days out from Election Day and the stakes are high for Black communities. Learn how to #ReclaimYourVote. | Restore the Voting Rights Act. John Lewis put his life on the line to end racial discrimination in voting. Here’s how Congress can help honor his legacy. | Party with us! Did you know the Census determines how many seats your state gets in the House of Representatives? Join us on Thursday for more gems. | Vote, vote, vote. We're proud to partner with Michelle Obama's initiative, When We All Vote, to increase voter participation. Join us! | New episode! Tune in to the Rickey Smiley Morning Show for The State of Black America with Marc Morial. Listen on Mondays at 8:30AM ET. | The latest. COVID-19 could be the thing that keeps people at home on Election Day, unless we get prepared. Get the inside scoop from our Policy team.
It’s back to school but not back to class for Sacramento County.
A surge in coronavirus cases is forcing the Sacramento County Superintendent public health department to recommend all 13 school districts keep their campuses closed in the fall.
“I think distance-learning is really going to challenge the most vulnerable. It will take us years, decades, to make up this lost learning,” Cassandra Jennings, President and CEO of The Greater Sacramento Urban League (Sacramento, CA), said.
Jennings said some students are more at risk than others.
“Most of those from low-income communities and disproportionately black and brown students,” she said.
The impact of Henry Thomas III was not overlooked as the Springfield civic and education leader’s tenure with the University of Massachusetts Board of Trustees came to an end.
Thomas and Maria Furman will be replaced by Robert Lewis, Jr., and Julie M. Ramon Gagliardi, according to an announcement by Governor Charlie Baker. The terms of Thomas and Furman expired after more than 10 years of service.
“As chairman, Henry was an ardent advocate for the university and the students it serves, and led our Board during a period of robust growth at UMass. The impact (of Thomas and Furman) will last for generations,” said Marty Meehan, president of the UMass system.
